How to Pay for Care in Kent: A Complete Guide to Care Funding & Financial Help
If you or someone you love is beginning to need care and support, one of the first questions is often: “How are we going to pay for it?”
This guide explains how care funding works in Kent in 2026/27, including the current financial thresholds, Kent County Council's assessment process, NHS funding, Direct Payments and the options available to people paying for care at home.
Important: Care funding rules and benefit rates can change, and everyone's financial and care circumstances are different. This article is general information rather than financial advice. Always check the latest information with Kent County Council, the NHS or the relevant government department before making financial decisions.
At a glance: how can care in Kent be paid for?
There are several different ways care and support may be funded:
Funding option | Who provides the funding? | Could it help with care at home? |
Self-funding | You or your family | Yes |
Kent County Council funding | Kent County Council | Yes |
Direct Payment | Kent County Council | Yes |
NHS Continuing Healthcare | NHS | Yes |
NHS-funded nursing care | NHS | Mainly for people living in nursing homes |
Attendance Allowance | Department for Work and Pensions | Yes, depending on circumstances |
Other benefits and support | Government/local authority | Depending on eligibility |
The important thing to remember is that needing care does not automatically mean you have to pay the full cost yourself.
Equally, having savings does not necessarily mean you will receive no help at all.
Your options depend on your care needs, financial circumstances, income, assets and where your care is provided.
Step 1: Find out what care and support is needed
Before working out how to pay for care, it is worth understanding what support is actually needed. If you live in Kent, you can request a care needs assessment from Kent County Council.
The assessment looks at how your needs affect your day-to-day life and whether you have eligible care and support needs.
This might include difficulties with:
washing and dressing
preparing food and eating
taking medication
getting around safely
managing at home
maintaining relationships
getting out into the community
managing personal safety
maintaining independence.
You do not need to wait until someone is unable to cope before asking for an assessment.
For example, you might be concerned because:
Mum is struggling to get up and down the stairs safely
Dad is forgetting medication
someone is finding it more difficult to get to the shops
a partner is becoming exhausted from providing support
someone with dementia is becoming increasingly isolated or distressed
a recent hospital admission has changed what someone can manage
everyday tasks are becoming harder.
A care needs assessment can help establish what type and level of support could make a difference. Kent County Council provides information and advice as well as assessments, and the assessment itself is free.
How do I request a care needs assessment in Kent?
You can request an assessment through Kent County Council's adult social care service.
The assessment can help you understand what support may be available and whether you may be eligible for help towards the cost.
Kent County Council Adult Social Care: 03000 41 61 61
Step 2: Find out whether you need to pay for your care
If Kent County Council identifies eligible care and support needs, it will work out the likely cost of meeting those needs. KCC then carries out a financial assessment, sometimes called a means test, to work out how much you may be expected to contribute.
The assessment considers your:
savings
investments
other capital
pensions
benefits
other income
certain housing costs
relevant disability-related expenditure.
KCC describes this as calculating your maximum ability to pay.
If your assessed contribution is lower than the cost of your care, KCC can contribute towards the difference. If your assessed contribution is enough to cover the full cost, you may need to pay the full cost yourself.
How much savings can you have before paying for care in Kent?
This is one of the most common questions families ask.
For the 2026/27 financial year, the national capital limits are:
£14,250 lower capital limit
£23,250 upper capital limit
These limits apply to the financial assessment rules for social care in England.
If you have more than £23,250 in capital
Kent County Council says that if you have more than £23,250 in capital, including savings and investments, you will normally be expected to pay the full cost of chargeable care yourself. However, importantly, the home you live in is not included in this capital calculation when you are receiving care at home.
If you have between £14,250 and £23,250
Your income is considered alongside a calculation known as tariff income.
For every £250, or part of £250, above £14,250, Kent treats £1 per week as additional income for the purposes of the financial assessment.
For example, if someone has £17,250 in savings:
£17,250 − £14,250 = £3,000
£3,000 ÷ £250 = £12
This £12 is added to your income for the purposes of the financial assessment.
If you have less than £14,250
Your capital itself is not subject to tariff income, although your income and other circumstances will still be considered as part of the financial assessment.
Does Kent County Council count your house when assessing care costs?
This is an important distinction for anyone considering care at home. If you are receiving care and support in your own home, Kent County Council says that the value of the home you live in is not included in the financial assessment. This means that owning a house does not automatically mean you will be treated as having capital above the £23,250 threshold for care at home.
The rules can be different if someone permanently moves into residential care.
This is one reason why families should not assume that they need to sell a property simply because someone has started to need care.
Can you get help with care at home if you have savings?
Yes, potentially. Having savings does not automatically mean that you cannot receive any help towards care at home. KCC looks at your overall financial circumstances.
For example, someone with capital between £14,250 and £23,250 may still receive support, but their savings will affect the amount they are expected to contribute.
Someone with more than £23,250 in capital will normally be expected to pay the full cost of chargeable care at home.
There are also circumstances where care may be funded through the NHS rather than means-tested social care, which is why it is important not to assume that a savings assessment is the only route to funding.
What is a Kent County Council financial assessment?
The financial assessment is used to work out how much you can afford to contribute towards your eligible care and support. KCC looks at your capital and weekly income. This can include savings, investments, pensions and benefits.
There are also amounts that may be disregarded or protected when working out your contribution. For example, KCC takes account of a Minimum Income Guarantee, intended to ensure people receiving care at home retain money for everyday living costs. It also allows a standard amount for disability-related expenditure, with the possibility of requesting a further assessment if actual disability-related costs are higher.
What is a Direct Payment?
If Kent County Council agrees that you need financial support towards your care, you may be able to receive this as a Direct Payment. Instead of KCC arranging your support for you, a Direct Payment gives you greater control over how your care and support is arranged.
You can have more choice over:
who provides your support
when support takes place
how your support is arranged
how your agreed care and support needs are met.
KCC will agree with you what the Direct Payment can be used for. For example, if someone's assessed care needs cost £60 per week and their financial assessment says they can contribute £40, KCC could provide the remaining £20 through a Direct Payment. The individual then uses the combined amount to arrange and pay for their support. You can manage a Direct Payment yourself or, where appropriate, nominate someone else to manage it for you.
Could the NHS pay for care at home?
Sometimes. If someone has significant, complex or primarily health-related needs, it may be appropriate to explore NHS Continuing Healthcare.
What is NHS Continuing Healthcare?
NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) is a package of care arranged and funded by the NHS for adults who meet the eligibility criteria. Unlike means-tested social care, eligibility for NHS Continuing Healthcare is not based on your savings or income. It can be provided in a person's own home or in a care home.
A diagnosis by itself does not guarantee eligibility. For example, having dementia does not automatically mean that someone qualifies for NHS Continuing Healthcare. Eligibility is based on the person's overall health and care needs, assessed against the NHS Continuing Healthcare criteria. If someone has complex or changing health needs, it is worth asking their healthcare professional whether an assessment should be considered. You can find out more about CHC in our Understanding CHC article.
NHS Continuing Healthcare at home
NHS Continuing Healthcare can fund an appropriate package of support in someone's own home. This can be particularly important for people whose needs are primarily health-related and who want to remain living at home. The NHS says that people eligible for Continuing Healthcare should be involved in decisions about their care and support package, including where it is provided.
What is NHS-funded nursing care?
NHS-funded nursing care is different from NHS Continuing Healthcare.
It generally applies to someone who:
lives in a nursing home
needs nursing care from a registered nurse
does not qualify for NHS Continuing Healthcare.
The NHS pays a contribution towards the cost of registered nursing care. It does not mean that the NHS pays the entire cost of the care home.
Can Attendance Allowance help pay for care?
It can be an important source of financial help for older people who need support.
Attendance Allowance is a tax-free benefit for people who have a physical or mental disability or health condition severe enough that they need help with personal care or supervision, and who are State Pension age or older.
For 2026/27, the rates are:
£76.70 a week at the lower rate
£114.60 a week at the higher rate.
It is not means-tested, so your savings and income do not determine whether you can claim it. You do not have to have someone formally caring for you to qualify.
Attendance Allowance can help towards the additional costs associated with needing support, including privately arranged care.
However, benefits can interact with social care funding in different ways, particularly if someone's circumstances change or they move into residential care. It is therefore worth checking the current rules rather than assuming a benefit will always continue unchanged.
Step 3: Arranging care and support
Once Kent County Council has assessed your needs and established whether you are eligible for financial support, the next step is to put your care and support in place.
If KCC is arranging your support, your social care practitioner will work with you to identify suitable services that can meet the needs set out in your care and support plan. You should still have a say in how your support is provided and, where appropriate, which provider you use.
Alternatively, you may be offered a Direct Payment. This gives you greater control over arranging your own support and choosing who provides it. You can use a Direct Payment to arrange eligible care and support yourself, rather than having KCC arrange it on your behalf. This is an important point to understand: being eligible for financial support from KCC does not necessarily mean that KCC chooses your care provider for you. The way your support is funded and the way it is arranged are separate decisions.
If you are considering a particular home-care provider, such as Thrive Homecare, you can discuss this with your social care practitioner and ask whether the provider can be used under your chosen funding arrangement.
What happens next will depend on your circumstances, your care and support plan, and whether you choose for KCC to arrange your support or manage your own budget through a Direct Payment.
What happens if you are paying for care yourself?
If your finances mean that you are responsible for paying the full cost of your care, you are often described as a self-funder. Self-funding does not necessarily mean you should simply arrange the first care provider you find.
You can still:
request a care needs assessment from KCC
understand what level of support is appropriate
check whether you may be entitled to benefits
explore NHS Continuing Healthcare where relevant
compare different care providers
review your care arrangements as your needs change.
If you are paying privately, it is also worth asking providers exactly what their charges include. For example:
What is the hourly rate?
Is there a minimum visit length?
Are evenings or weekends charged differently?
Are there additional travel charges?
How are care visits scheduled?
Will the same people provide the majority of the support?
How will the care package change if needs increase or decrease?
Will the service simply be task focused or will there be time for companionship and support with meaningful activities?
What happens to your house if you need care?
This depends on where you receive your care.
If you stay at home
As explained above, Kent County Council does not include the value of the home you live in when assessing your capital for care at home.
If you move into residential care
The rules are different. If someone permanently moves into a care home, their property may eventually be included in the financial assessment. However, there are circumstances where a property can be disregarded, including where it continues to be occupied by certain qualifying relatives. There are also specific rules around the treatment of a property during the early stages of a permanent move into residential care. Because a home is often a family's largest asset, this is an area where specialist later-life financial advice can be particularly valuable.
What is a Deferred Payment Agreement?
If someone needs permanent residential care but has much of their wealth tied up in their home, selling the property immediately may not always be necessary.
Kent County Council operates a Deferred Payment Scheme for people who meet the eligibility criteria.
A deferred payment arrangement can allow eligible people to delay some of their care costs, with the amount owed secured against their property. This is not free funding. It is a financial arrangement that will need to be repaid, normally when the property is sold or after the person's death.
Anyone considering a deferred payment agreement should understand the terms carefully and consider independent financial advice.
Can I give my house or savings to my children to avoid care fees?
This is an area where families should be very careful. You may have heard that giving away your house or savings can prevent them being taken into account when someone needs care. It is not that simple.
Kent County Council can consider whether someone has deliberately deprived themselves of assets in order to reduce the amount they would have to pay for care.
This is known as deprivation of assets. KCC considers the circumstances, reasons and timing surrounding the transfer and whether the person could reasonably have foreseen that they would need care and support. In some circumstances, KCC can also seek payment from the person who received the assets.
Do not give away a property or significant savings simply to try to avoid care fees.
What happens to care funding after a hospital stay?
If someone has recently been in hospital, it is particularly important to understand what happens when they return home. Hospital discharge can be a confusing time for families.
You may be wondering:
Will support be provided at home?
How long will it last?
Will it be free?
Will we need to arrange care privately afterwards?
Does the person need another care needs assessment?
Could NHS Continuing Healthcare be relevant?
Some short-term support can be provided to help someone regain independence following illness or injury. However, this should not be confused with ongoing long-term care.
Before someone leaves hospital, ask what support has been arranged, how long it is expected to last and what will happen when that initial period ends. Planning ahead can prevent families from suddenly having to arrange and fund ongoing care themselves.
What should you do if you think someone needs care?
If you are beginning to worry about yourself, a parent or a partner, you do not need to have all the answers before asking for help.
A sensible starting point is:
1. Think about what has changed
What can the person no longer manage safely or comfortably?
2. Request a care needs assessment
If you live in Kent, contact Kent County Council Adult Social Care.
The assessment can help establish what support may be appropriate.
3. Understand the finances
Make a list of:
savings
investments
pensions
benefits
property
regular income
essential expenditure.
4. Check benefit entitlement
Attendance Allowance may be relevant for someone of State Pension age who needs help because of a health condition or disability.
5. Ask whether NHS funding could apply
If the person's needs are complex or primarily health-related, ask whether NHS Continuing Healthcare should be considered.
6. Compare care options
If you are arranging private care, speak to providers and ask for clear information about their pricing, services and approach.
7. Consider specialist financial advice
If property, significant savings, care home fees or long-term estate planning are involved, consider speaking to a regulated later-life financial adviser.
The most important thing to remember about paying for care in Kent
Paying for care is rarely as simple as looking at someone's savings and deciding whether they qualify for help. There are several different funding routes, and the rules differ depending on whether someone receives care at home, lives in a care home or has complex health needs.
Getting a care needs assessment, understanding the financial position and exploring the different funding routes can give you a much clearer picture of what is possible.
And needing care does not have to mean giving up independence. With the right level of support, many people can continue living at home, maintaining their routines, relationships and the things that make life meaningful.
How Thrive Homecare can help
At Thrive Homecare, we know that families are often trying to balance cost, independence, safety and quality of life. Our experienced team are ready to answer your questions about care, assessments, funding and how to improve quality of life.
We provide care, companionship and wellbeing support at home across Canterbury, Ashford, Whitstable and surrounding villages, with live-in care and companionship also available more widely across Kent and the South East.
If you are unsure what type of support would work for you or someone you love, we are happy to have an initial conversation and help you understand your options.
01227 935977
This article was last reviewed in October 2026. Care funding rules, benefit rates and local authority charges can change. Always check the latest information with Kent County Council, the NHS or the relevant government department before making financial decisions.
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